Love Cuts
by notepads
Summary: I love you," he said again, half-smiling. Max's heart almost melted. Almost. She didn't reply. Fang's words before had really hurt her... "I DON'T LOVE YOU!" she screamed hysterically.
1. Stupid

**This story is set in nowhere in particular. Max cutting her wrist with a shell on the beach has not happened.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride! (Sadly.)**

**Hope you enjoy! :D Choc chip cookies for everyone!**

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"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" yelled Fang, stomping across the lawn towards Max Ride.

Max didn't listen. She continued to saw at her wrist, severing tendons and flesh.

Blood poured out of her wrist. She thought it felt like her arm was on fire. But she didn't care. _I need to get that microchip out,_ she thought fiercely. _If I don't, I'll be putting my flock into even more danger._

Suddenly, a tender hand gripped her own bloody one. It gently pried the sharp rock she'd used to cut her wrist from her hand, and let it drop to the ground with a _thud._

The voice of the person was much less gentle.

"What were you doing?" Fang yelled. "You could've _died_! Then what would we have done? You're so stupid sometimes! You're supposed to be the leader! Are you crazy?"

The words cut through Max sharper than any rock could've. It stung more than the burning in her arm.

"Maybe I am," she replied. Then, eyes watering, she ran through the back door and into the hallway. Blood stained the pale carpet as the ran into her room. She slammed the door shut with her good hand.

Collapsing onto her bed, Max allowed a few tears to escape her eyes.

The door opened. It was Fang. Stupid Fang.

He held bandages in his hand and wore an expressionless mask on his face. Fang ambled over to Max's bed and gently bandaged her wrist.

"Sorry," he said, before leaving the room.

* * *

Max stared at the bathroom mirror. A sad-looking girl stared back at her.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her trance. "Can I come in?" It was Fang. Stupid Fang.

"No."

The door opened and he strolled in anyway.

"I'm really sorry," he said, looking at her seriously.

"No, you're not," she stated nonchalantly. Max was suprised that she could sound so casual, because she was far from it inside.

"Max, please. Believe me." _Wow. He said please - that was a first, _Max thought sourly.

When she didn't answer, Fang said, "Max...I love you."

**Max, you know you love him,** the Voice suddenly said. His voice was urgent.

_No,_ she thought defiantly. _You heard what he said before. He doesn't love me. And I don't love him._

Somewhere inside her, Max knew that was wrong.

"I love you," he said again, half-smiling. Max's heart almost melted.

Almost.

She didn't reply. _How could he say he loves me, when he'd practically said the opposite before?_

**Max, you know he only said that because he was worried about you.**

She didn't reply. Fang's words had really hurt her. _I don't love you, _she thought, hoping that it might actually be true. _I don't love you, __I don't love you._

The chant continued inside Max's head. _I don't love you, I don't love you... "I DON'T LOVE YOU!" _she screamed hysterically.

Fang froze. "No?"

The chant was still reacing through her head. "I don't love you." The words sounded wrong together, but Max decided that it was impossible to change the past.

"I... I don't love you either," Fang said blankly. He turned around and left the room.

Max stared after him, horrified. "_What have I done?" _she whispered.

The glass shower door shattered. Glass shards littered the floor, along with droplets of blood.

Max was almost surprised to find that it was actually her who had punched it.

She hopped into the shower and turned it on, hoping to feel relaxed afterwards, like she usually did. Freezing cold water greeted her.

It didn't bother her that glass fragments dug into her feet.

She didn't care about the blood seeping from her body.

It didn't matter. Nothing did.

She washed the glass away.

She washed the blood away.

She couldn't wash the pain away.

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**Remember: reviews are adored. Ideas are cherished.**


	2. Gone

**Yes, yes, I know that this is a really REALLY late update. My sincere apologies. No, really, I mean it. And to be honest, I really don't have any excuses except for laziness. Anyway, I've always believed that Max has blonde hair with streaks of light brown, despite James Patterson's self contradictions...**

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"Where's Fang?"

A part of Max thought, "Who cares?" Another answered, "You do."

"Why did he leave!" Angel asked, looking up at Max with big eyes. When she did that, Max felt like the little mind reader was looking into her soul. Which, then again, she kind of was.

_You know why he left, _Max thought at Angel.

"Where's Fang?" Nudge nagged again.

"I don't know. I don't know. I DON'T KNOW!" Max yelled at her. "I don't know where he is, OK? How many times do I have to tell you?"

Angel stared at her. Nudge looked down at her feet, slightly ashamed.

And with that, she stormed out of the room and locked herself into the bathroom. She found herself looking into the mirror again; staring back at her was the same, sad person she'd seen yesterday.

* * *

For what seemed like the billionth time, Max jumped out of bed and ran her hands through her hair. Another sleepless night. There were far too many thoughts running through her head and even though her body felt exhausted, her mind was restless.

_I have to do something_, she thought. _I can't stay here pacing in my room all night._

Max realised that Fang had left because of her. It was _her_ fault the he was gone, her own stupid fault.

"I'm sorry, Fang," she whispered.

"Why the hell did I say that yesterday? What the _hell_ was I thinking?"

"What is _wrong_ with me!"

Creeping up to the window sill, she slid it open. _Squeeeaaaaak._

"Crap,"she muttered. She quickly launched herself out of the window and onto the grass outside. After inhaling a few deep breaths of fresh air, she realised that a tall figure was standing a few metres behind her.

"Going somewhere?" It was Iggy.

Max sighed. Why did Iggy's hearing have to be so darn good?

"If you're looking for Fang," he said, "then you might want to know that I'm coming."

"You are not coming."

"Yes I am."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Look," Max pleaded. "I need someone to stay here and look after the kids."

Iggy nodded. "Yeah... well... I'm coming."

Shooting him an evil glare, Max leaned her face close to Iggy's and stared into his eyes. "You. Are. NOT. Coming."

"Dude. That only works when Angel does it."

"Iggy! I need you to stay here! Please. I have to do this... I have to do this on my own." Max looked down at her hands and turned away from Iggy.

"Uhh... are you crying!"

"NO!" Max yelled, but the catch in her voice gave her away._ Stop crying,_ she told herself. _Maximum Ride NEVER cries._ "I- I have to go now. Don't follow me. Bye."

After a few long leaps, Max snapped her wings open and flew into the sky.

If it was her fault that Fang was gone, then she was going to bring him back.

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Fang was wondering about why the he'd run away and what he was doing. _Remember what happened last time when the flock split up?_ He reminded himself.

He climbed up the tree he decided to sleep in and looked at the night sky, filled with stars tonight.

"I'm here on my own. I can do whatever I want," he told the wind. A hint of a smile came to his face when he thought about the freedom he had, but then he remembered what Max had said to him._ I don't love you._

A human-like figure flew above him in the sky. A human-like figure with _wings._ A pang of pain hit him as he realised it was probably Max, but he couldn't be sure because it was flying so high up.

He took a deep breath. The tree concealed him from the person flying above. "Well, Max," he said. "I don't love you, I don't need you, and I am perfectly capable on my own."

But he knew they were all lies.

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**Short, I know... and sorry if some of the characters were a bit OOC D;**

**Fairy floss and little sugar packets which you're supposed to put into your coffee (oh well... getting high on sugar is better than sweet coffee) for all reviewers! Hope you liked the chappie 8D**


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